Learnings from the Air Jordan XXXIV and the Air Jordan XXXV led to the proposition behind the Air Jordan XXXVI, which combines the excellence of Jordan Brand product teams to achieve the many definitions of “light” and their effects on performance.[/caption]

With the Air Jordan XXXVI, Jordan Brand decided to shed materials — taking the learnings from doing just that in the Air Jordan XXXIV and XXXV — and see how far they could go. “Light” was the muse.

That muse unified teams of design specialists across the brand as they perfected the many definitions of the word. The Air Jordan XXXVI’s new features — a jacquard leno-weave upper, a full-length Zoom Air Strobel unit that’s double-stacked with a forefoot unit, a refined plate system — come from experts at Jordan Brand combining their specialties to make the best basketball shoe in the world.

“We want those who love the brand to see something that’s always been a part of our design legacy: the power of teamwork that goes on between a core group of folks to create product excellence,” says Martin Lotti, VP, Jordan Brand Design. “Jordan Brand is inspired by one man, but it’s carried into the future by many, many people who are experts in their field.”

By exploring three aspects of light, the Air Jordan XXXVI highlights the kind of

The Air Jordan XXXVI features a jacquard leno-weave material that composes the upper. Lightweight but also strong, the material bends and contours to provide support where it’s needed most.

Not only does the material help make a lightweight shoe for playing, the breathable leno-weave presents a see-through aesthetic that allows light and colors to shine through.

“Within the basketball landscape, we wanted to create a new language for light,” says Jacqueline Lefferts, Jordan Brand Lead Materials Designer. “We asked ourselves, What does light look like? It’s a product of the upper’s weight, but it’s also a trait of the upper itself in that light is a defining quality.”

What is Leno-Weave?

Leno-weave is a pattern of weaving that twists two warp yarns (“warp” is the lengthwise yarn) around the weft yarn (“weft” is the perpendicular yarn that move under-and-over the pattern). The resulting fabric is strong, lightweight, and adaptable to all kinds of shapes.

In basketball, lightweight on its own isn’t enough to create game-separating movement. Lightweight has to combine with a feeling or a sound — a pop that returns the force a player puts into the court.

[caption id="attachment_90075" align="alignnone" width="1202"] A familiar sight, the multidirectional herringbone outsole pattern provides best-in-class traction to help players’ quickness, change of direction and control. What’s new underfoot is a full-length Zoom Strobel unit (you can see it through the heel window) with an additional forefoot zoom unit for an extra pop of responsiveness.[/caption]

The Air Jordan XXXVI cushioning set-up is the most Zoom Air coverage that Jordan Brand has put into a signature shoe. A full-length Zoom Air Strobel unit is stitched directly to the upper, sitting above another forefoot Zoom Air unit for an extra burst of responsiveness. The multi-directional traction pattern is the ideal base to initiate that quickness, change of direction and control.

“One trend we noticed in the nike air max 2021 is how lightweight is typically described as a performance feature, which has been heavily marketed as ball handling and foot-to-court movement. All that is a fundamental part of the game, but the origins of the Jordan Brand were about tapping into the time off the floor, the hangtime, the flight,” says Chad Troyer, Jordan Brand Senior PLM. “In bringing in the Zoom Strobel and adding another Zoom unit beneath that, we were working toward that ‘pop’ for players so they can get of the floor quickly.”

The definition of “light” also relates to designing for the athleticism of Jordan Brand’s young roster. Players like Satou Sabally, Jayson Tatum, Kia Nurse, Luka Dončić and Zion Williamson are impossibly powerful and graceful at once, so they need game shoes that fit their athleticism, using every subtracted ounce of weight to their advantage. Even the sockliner of the Air Jordan XXXVI is perforated to remove weight and help the foot be in closer contact with the Zoom Air Strobel.

“The Jordan Brand Design team really did their thing,” says Satou Sabally, forward for the Dallas Wings. “The 36 is amazing. It’s super light. When you pick it up, you don’t just feel it — you see it. I knew from the minute I put it on that it’s going to be fun to play in.”

Filtered throughout the shoe’s design is Michael Jordan’s transcendent influence on basketball culture. The team shifted away from exposing the Zoom bags, a repeated trait from the Air Jordan XXXIV and XXXV, and enclosed them to connect a foam ribbon design through the midsole. The change was also meant to resemble an infinity symbol — you can trace the pattern across the midsole and never pick up your finger. The design still creates a functional kinetic system in the same way that Jordan Brand’s Flight Plate and Eclipse Plate did. That is, the heel helps protect against impact, while the force is loaded through the plate and launched into the forefoot. But the design was also meant to symbolize Michael Jordan’s infinite influence across the sport and beyond.

“We weren’t focused on exposing the bags anymore. We wanted to connect the ribbon and cover up the plate system,” says Tate Keurbis, Jordan Brand Footwear Designer. “In doing so, we brought in subtle details from the Air Jordan VI and created a tooling that conveys Michael’s lasting influence in worldwide culture.”

[caption id="attachment_90076" align="alignnone" width="1600"] The Eclipse Plate from the previous two Air Jordan models is hollowed out between the outsole and midsole in the Air Jordan XXXVI to help reduce weight and expose the shoe’s stabilizing shank.[/caption]

Other details are inspired by the silhouette’s muse in the line, the Air Jordan VI. A lace cover, cutouts on the outsole, and embellishments on the heel are tributes to the shoe in which Michael Jordan won his first title.

The Nike Giannis Immortality falls under the category of signature athlete budget model. But, the funny thing is, this isn’t like any other take down. It’s one of the best of its kind. With Giannis just winning a championship, getting a good-performing, more budget-friendly shoe from him is simply a win for both his fans and hoopers all over.

Traction

The traction pattern is herringbone everywhere. No exceptions. It is sectioned, though. But, I didn’t find that to be an issue for the outsole’s overall performance.

It was solid. Nothing to write home about, but it was good nonetheless. It’s not noisy so you might not notice it biting the floor really well until you’re done playing and realize you barely slipped. Wipes aren’t really necessary because the grooves are deep. I did play in the solid rubber option, so keep that in mind. Overall, the Immortality provides solid performance without the gimmicks.

Cushion

Phylon. Period. I wish there was more to say about the cushion technology on this, but there simply isn’t. Instead they use the cushion for some cool Giannis details. “Lagos,” his parents’ hometown, is on the right heel and “Athens,” his hometown, is on the left heel. When I saw this, that’s when I thought that they made this shoe for nostalgic purposes, and not really performance per se.

But, the cushion wasn’t terrible. When I first tried them on, they felt like bricks. Just no compression whatsoever. Some of the phylon is caged with the outsole coming up on the lateral heel and a bit on the medial forefoot. After the first half hour of playing, though, I was surprised that I was getting some compression and comfort. The inevitable happened and it just got softer and softer and softer with every wear. Compression creases were very apparent and I love that because that lets me know that the foam is doing its job. Biggest surprise of this sb dunk by far. And yes, just Phylon can do the job.

Materials

The materials are where we get the $80 price tag. We have a full on thin jacquard upper with fuse overlays on high-wear areas. The back section is a micro-molded mesh which feels like neoprene. The tongue is mostly a more open-celled mesh, with the upper section being a very synthetic leather. I don’t know if I have ever felt a more synthetic leather than this one. The reverse Swoosh is on both medial sides of the sneaker – a little call back to the Nike Zoom Freak 1.

The materials are comfortable enough, but you can definitely feel how thin it is. It still contains the foot well, though, so there’s nothing too much to complain about. They do break in more over time, even for a knit. With that price, what more could we really expect? You get what you pay for.

Fit

I’d say true to size, but narrow-footers could probably go down half a size. At first, it’s a good, snug fit. After the break-in period, which is a few hours of playing, the shoe does get a bit looser. Also, don’t use thin socks with these. It’ll compromise the fit. As always, try them on in store if you can.

Support

Support is a bit tricky here. The heel feels like the forefoot of a Kyrie shoe. While the heel portion of the midsole does curve so one can roll into their stride easier, that same curved shape gives a wobbly experience at times on lateral movements. And be careful on heel strikes because you will have to catch yourself in these a bit more than others. The forefoot, though, has an outrigger that outdoes most Nike basketball shoes right now. I almost rolled my ankle on these twice, maybe because of that heel, but the outrigger saved me. It’s kind of counterintuitive, but it still works. The small synthetic lateral midfoot piece on the inside helped with containing the foot and keeping it on the foot bed. So, support is solid, but takes some getting used to.

Overall

If you’re on a budget, (I don’t blame you for not wanting to spend $150+ on a shoe) but want a solid option on-court, get the Nike Giannis Immortality. Sure, there’s no Air or Zoom, yet it still provides the performance that even signature models sometimes can’t achieve. (I’m looking at you Harden Vol. 5) Everything is good enough for me to consider this a good performer, and not just a barely-made-the-team one. Bang for your buck? I’d say so.

Marching on…

I recently reviewed the Puma Deviate Nitro, Puma’s top-of-the-line flagship everyday running shoe and it was a great shoe. Now, I get a chance to review the lighter, better fitting, carbon plated, race day focused Puma Deviate Nitro Elite. Puma’s new star long distance athlete, Molly Seidel, already set several PRs in the Elite. Can the Elite unseat the Nike Vaporfly Next% at the top of the road racing shoe pyramid? Let’s find out.

Cushion

The Deviate Nitro Elite provides two layers of Nitro Elite foam sandwiching a full length carbon fiber Innoplate. Nitro Elite is a supercritical peba-based foam infused with nitrogen. It feels very similar to Jordan 11 Low Legend Blue.

The amount of cushioning is relatively high with 28mm in the forefoot and 36mm in the heel. The resulting 8mm drop feels natural. The Elite sits slightly lower to the ground than the regular Deviate Nitro and packs an even better bounce. Think Saucony Endorphin Pro but just a touch softer. Though I didn’t get to race in them, I loved doing speed workouts in this shoe. The midsole works great for picking up speed.

Traction

For the outsole, Puma uses Puma Grip-LT, which is a lighter version of their new (and fantastic) Puma Grip. Grip-LT is not as tacky as regular dunk low but it’s race ready. It’s as good or better than anything else you’ll find on race day shoes.

Support

The Deviate Nitro Elite eschews a heel counter but adds in synthetic suede midfoot straps alongside a wide base. The midfoot straps kept me on the footbed even on tight corners. It’s one of the more supportive race day options which again makes it very similar to the Endorphin Pro. If you need more security or frequent courses with lots of turns, this will be an upgrade from most of the current carbon-plated racers.

Fit

For this race day model, Puma used Men’s and Women’s specific lasts. In theory, that should help the fit feel more dialed in but is impossible for me to know.

But the fit on the men’s version is a very slim race day fit that’s tighter through the midfoot without any extra layers. The toebox features ample room for toe splay so you won’t feel cramped running the half or full marathon distances. The Deviate Nitro Elite fits true to size in both length and width.

Materials

The Deviate Nitro Elite sports an engineered mono mesh upper that’s see through — so you need fun socks to really get the best use of the upper. The mono mesh feels similar to the Vaporweave on the Vaporfly but more comfy.

I will say the Elite feels super, super light on foot. At 7.7 ounces, it’s an ounce heavier than the Vaporfly but you’d hardly know it. I’m still not really sure why this shoe feels so light but I enjoyed the feeling. I’d guess it has something to do with superior weight distribution but whatever it is, keep it up Puma.

Overall

At $200, the air jordan 1 is a lower-priced, carbon fiber plated race day shoe. It feels incredibly light on foot, has a nice bounce, solid traction, and above average support.

Getting your hands on a pair right now is hard, but if you can, try it out. Puma’s made a shoe that could very easily become your main race day shoe. It’s a shoe I think we’ll start seeing quite a lot on starting lines as races ramp back up in a post Covid world.

The Nike LeBron Ambassador series is a consistently solid basketball shoe that releases yearly in Asia. Generally made for outdoors play, but with a build that can work extremely well indoors, the shoe is in its 13th year. Does the Nike LeBron Ambassador 13 reign supreme or will this iteration be an afterthought?

Traction

Have you ever heard fingernails scratching on a chalkboard? Or watched the cars drift in a Fast and the Furious movie? That’s the best way to describe the traction of the Nike LeBron Ambassador 13. Wholly balls this thing bites. Stop on a dime good. Going 0-60 and stopping in less than a second good. No matter the lateral cuts you make, quick switches on defense, hard plants, or triple-threat jab steps, the shoe just clamps onto the floor as if its life depended on it. The traction might have overtaken the Lebron Ambassador 9 as my favorite traction of this line.

Cushion

Get your tissue boxes ready, because this news is like taking an L on nike kyrie 7. Nike took out the forefoot Zoom Air. Let me reiterate. My knees take an L every time I have to wear these on court. While there is a large heel Zoom Air bag, the lack of forefoot cushioning really killed me. Not literally, but my knees need some serious WD40 after this. I’m not saying the shoe didn’t work, It just doesn’t fit the mold of what’s necessary for a shoe built for outdoor courts.

Someone at Nike Basketball team decided it wasn’t necessary to have forefoot Zoom Air. Instead they relied on the low to the ground ride to make the shoe lighter and faster. While I don’t disagree with their idea…actually, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY disagree with the idea. The forefoot Zoom has been a staple of the shoes in the Ambassador line since the beginning (which featured forefoot Zoom Air and heel Air Max). Why would Nike take out something that’s been working so well? Something that’s been even better than the Soldier Line on occasion and even giving the signature line a run for its money in some instances?

It seems to be a cost-cutting move that doesn’t include the shoe’s primary use case in the equation. I’ve tested Asia exclusive models for years now. The feedback I get is that about 90%+ of the Asian market plays outdoors and needs good impact protection. And, now, that same 90%+ of the market is pissed, including your boy. Nike owes me a pair of good knees. Please, for all the LeBron Ambassador line fans, bring back both the large volume forefoot/heel Zoom setup and the soft Phylon midsole from the Ambassador 8 and 9. Then, we’ll forgive you.

Materials

Since this is an alternate to the signature model, the materials have never really stood out. The simple mesh upper, strategically placed fuse, XDR solid rubber outsole, phylon midsole, and a large volume heel Zoom Air unit make up the shoe. The material combo works. It just needs the forefoot Zoom bag back. Are you tired of me talking about it yet? That’s how much it affected me.

Fit

For the first time, the shoe itself fit a little snug, even after I relaced the shoe. However, after a game or two, the shoe fits like a glove. I mean that in the most modest way possible. While overseas basketball shoes are generally built on a wider last, this shoe seems to have been adjusted a bit. My slightly wide foot struggled for the first 10 minutes. But after some heat built up in the shoe, it molded around my foot quite nicely and got better with time.

Support

Oh boy, here he goes again. Yup, I said what I said and I stand by it. I want my ****** forefoot Zoom Air back! Okay, besides that, the support is adequate. It doesn’t overdeliver, but the Ambassador line was always built on a no frills platform. The Nike LeBron Ambassador 13 sticks to the same script.

Overall

The LeBron Ambassador line has always been quite solid and continues to be (with the exception of the forefoot Zoom Air removal). The Nike LeBron Ambassador 13 is light, strategic, and just darn good (with the one issue). The wider base of the shoe allowed me to plant my feet without hesitation and jolted my confidence in the solid XDR rubber outsole and the pattern. The upper molded to my foot and I almost felt like I didn’t have the shoe tied on.

But again, it only takes one thing to break my confidence and that is the lack of proper cushioning. LeBron James himself is 6’8” 240+ pounds of championship muscle. His signature line has a full length Zoom Air strobel along with a heel Air Max unit. Previous Ambassador models had enough cushion to work for those who play on the blacktop. For the money I and others paid for them, we deserve forefoot Zoom Air.

Don’t get me wrong, I like the air jordan 35 minus the forefoot cushioning. Will the Nike basketball team be able to rebound from this hiccup? Time will tell, but I speak for myself, the Asia basketball community, and the LeBron Ambassador fans: please don’t take away what has worked so well. We want to continue to love the Ambassador line as much as have to this point.

Why did I decide to do a running review of the adidas Yeezy Boost 380? Because of the clickbait title that will attract a lot of readers? Ummm, no, of course not . It’s clearly because of the Boost/Primeknit combo and how great that combo works for other running shoes. Kanye may not intend the 380 to be a running shoe, but I’ll run in anything  for clicks and internet notoriety to review it for our audience.

I run a lot of miles in a lot of shoes. Recently, I’ve posted reviews of the Brooks Glycerin 18, New Balance FuelCell TC, and the Nike Pegasus 37. I’ve also got plenty of experience testing Boost-cushioned running shoes. I’ve reviewed the adidas Ultraboost 20, adidas Pulseboost HD, and the adidas Futurecraft Loop. I put each shoe through speed workouts, trail runs, treadmill training, long runs, casual wear, and more. I’m qualified to judge whether the Yeezy Boost 380 works as a running shoe. And if you don’t agree with my conclusions…I’ll be absolutely heartbroken (not really). I suppose you can get back at me by trolling me on Twitter. Though be warned I will respond to your delusional tweet with a funny GIF that makes you even madder.

Pros

• Cushion. Boost! It’s got almost as much Boost as the Ultraboost 20. It’s not as bouncy as the UB20 because the Boost is caged and can’t expand laterally. While running, this mutes the forefoot bounce but there’s still plenty of cushioning. If you’re a heel striker you’ll love the plush landings.
• Knit upper. The mostly Primeknit upper is comfortable. The Primeknit is woven with splotches of plastic-y, fused thread that’s used for the color on the sides. That thread, along with some vinyl-ish material on the interior of the upper, gives the shoe it’s shape.
• Achilles pads. The heel comfort is fantastic due to three big pads that cup your achilles. There’s no heel counter so the achilles pads also give the heel its shape.
• Heel stability. You sit way down inside the midsole/sidewalls at the heel. You won’t slide off the footbed back there.
• Drop. The drop is likely in the 8-12mm range. That’s standard for most athletic shoes.
• Traction. The rubber outsole provides a ton of coverage with blade traction all over. The rubber used is tacky and performs well in wet conditions. The outsole is also thick enough to last a long time. I counted 17 cut outs where the Boost shows through and can expand. They’re necessary due to the sidewalls that cage the Boost midsole.
• Breathability. Pretty good for a lifestyle shoe. It has big air holes on both sides that let in a nice breeze while you’re running.
• Kanye’s Sunday Service. This has nothing to do with the shoes so go ahead and skip it  if you’re here for a serious running review . I went to Kanye’s Sunday Service in Chicago at NBA Allstar weekend 2020. I’ve gone to church services at a bunch of different churches and Kanye’s version was both different and entertaining. I have no idea why Kanye decided to become a Pastor of sorts, but his approach of 95% music mixed with an impressive choir is a good one. Nobody likes endless sermons and Kanye proves you can do church with little to no sermonizing.

Cons

• Flexibility. The upper is not quite pliable enough for running. The seam down the middle of the upper doesn’t bend enough at the forefoot. You won’t want to run more than a few miles at a time in the kyrie 6.
• Sock-like upper. It’s a bit too unstructured to run in comfortably. I never felt secure enough to pick up the pace or take hard corners. My forefoot was always threatening to slide right off the footbed. The outsole does flare out in an outrigger type fashion on both the medial and lateral sides of the shoe but it’s not enough to prevent rollovers.
• Lacing. There’s no way to tighten them well. You’re sort of stuck with the fit. I found the best way to modulate fit was to wear thicker/thinner socks or to double sock. Not great.
• High rear collar. Just the height alone will bug some people. In particular, the seam at the back of the collar is bad design. It rests on the achilles and causes irritation. It’s a blister waiting to happen. You’ll need to wear socks that are as tall or taller than the height of the collar when running or walking.
• Insole. It’s thin and worthless.
• Sizing. Lengthwise, you’ll need to go a half size up. If you don’t, you won’t have enough room for running. Unfortunately for narrow footers, that means you get a little extra width alongside the length. If you’re wearing them casually it’s ok to go true to size.
• Price. $230 is too much. Only super shoes (running shoes with carbon fiber plates like the Nike Vaporfly Next%) are more expensive and many of them don’t even cost this much. The 380 doesn’t have any luxury materials. Just know you’re basically paying $50-70 extra to help pay for Kanye’s ranch in Wyoming.
• Ability to purchase. Buying Yeezys for retail takes a lot of patience and a lot of luck. You’ll most likely have to buy them at resale prices if you want them. That’s both annoying and ridiculous. I only got my pair because after complaining on Twitter about the release, the Lapstone & Hammer team tweeted at me that they still had sizes left.

Overall

I ran in them, but the adidas Yeezy Boost 380 is not a running shoe. The lack of toe flexibility, the upper’s poor structure, a lacing system that doesn’t do much, and an irritating collar are too much to overcome. It’s a fun,comfortable casual shoe. But at $230 it’s only worth it if you’re really into sneakers and like the silhouette. If you want a real pair of running shoes, read our Running Shoes Reviews and find a better pair at almost half the price.

Are laceless basketball shoes the future? We find out in our Nike Adapt BB 2.0 Performance Review.

Traction

My two top traction setups have been implemented in both the Nike Adapt BB and the Nike Adapt BB 2.0. The radial coverage in the original model was decent, but there were many times, on every surface I played on, where there would be some grip inconsistencies. My experience with the Adapt BB 2.0 wasn’t any different despite herringbone being used full length.

I suppose the patterns used could be considered as the reason why each of the Adapt models gripped the court as they well as they did — when they did — whereas the rubber compound could be to blame for its inconsistent nature. Nike has used translucent rubber many times over the decades and some work perfectly while others are like the Adapt BB — disappointed.

I will say that the grip wasn’t bad enough for me to stop testing the shoe altogether, but it was inconsistent enough that I would not choose to play in this shoe over something like the Air Jordan 34 or Nike Kyrie 6 — both of which cost less than half the total price of the Adapt BB 2.0.

Cushion

The cushion has been a solid improvement over the original Adapt BB. While both versions utilize Cushlon midsoles, the Adapt BB 2.0 brought Zoom Turbo into the mix.

In case you were unaware, I love Nike’s Zoom Turbo setup. It’s low profile, springy and ultra responsive. It’s everything I love about Zoom Air setups and it’s always been done right since the cushioning unit sits just under the forefoot versus being encased in a firm foam — which ultimately restricts the feel and movement of the Zoom bag. If you want to try Zoom Turbo as an insole, eBay seller confident2shop sells this insole that comes really close to mimicking Zoom Turbo’s feel.

I never found the Cushlon setup of the original to be poor — I also enjoy Cushlon as a foam on it’s own thanks to my years playing in the older CP3 models from Jordan Brand — but this was a noticeable upgrade that I feel almost anyone would enjoy. Cushlon has a rubbery feel under-foot so when it is coupled with Zoom Air you get a setup that feels like it’s propelling you without you feeling like you’re unstable.

Materials

The Adapt BB 2.0 uses a mix of raw materials [heel and tongue pull tab] along with textiles and TPU. It’s not my ideal setup, but it worked well and got the job done.

This setup also keeps the weight down a bit. While weight may be an overrated aspect of a basketball shoe, the Adapt BB 2.0 weighs 19.60 oz — and even for a “heavy” basketball shoe… these things are heavy as hell. So, shaving weight where they could was something I don’t disagree with. Again, the materials worked well so from a performance perspective there isn’t anything to complain about.

Fit

The fit… now this is where I just haven’t loved either of the two Adapt BB models at all.

First off, I went true to size (in both versions) and I feel that is the best option. Wide footers may want to go 1/2 size up, but normal footers should be good going true to size.

Now, the laceless system is a hit or miss for me. I thought it was okay in the Air Jordan 33. Great in the Nike Kobe AD FF. And with each of these Adapt BB models I’ve just been “meh” about it. This 2.0 version I do like more than the original overall in terms of the fit, but I still don’t have a need for a laceless shoe over one with laces. There will be some people that could use a laceless shoe and I just happen to not be one of them.

The cable placement on the Adapt BB 2.0 does a much better job at securing your foot and locking you into all sections of the shoe — forefoot, midfoot and heel. However, the power-lacing aspect just isn’t my jam. I can’t seem to get the shoe tight enough without causing cramping or cutting off circulation in my feet. I had the same issue with the original model, and while it is better with the Adapt BB 2.0, it’s still an issue for me. I have to wear them with the cables pretty loose and this is just something I don’t really enjoy at all. Which is ironic as the motorized lacing is the coolest part of the damn things.

Support

Despite having to wear the shoe rather loose, the support was pretty damn good. The heel counter works great and the TPU wings located at the lace buttons also helped keep my foot on the footbed. Thank goodness as that was the one area I was really worried about once I’d get the “laces” to a point to where they were comfortable for me. At the midfoot is where the motor is housed, and it’s pretty rigid there, which ends up helping with torsional rigidity.

Overall

Overall, I found that the Nike Adapt BB 2.0 was better than the original Adapt BB, but I still don’t feel that these are necessarily for me.

I prefer laces. Better materials — even though this setup works fine. And more importantly, I like to have a more reliable traction setup.

While price never equates to performance, I cannot help but factor in the $400 price tag these are listed at. This isn’t some shoe I’m choosing to buy at a reseller’s listed price. The $400 is the starting price at retail. I can find shoes on clearance from a year ago that I feel out-perform the Adapt BB 2.0…and then I can buy four pairs of them and still come in under $400. I understand that factoring in the price tag is biased on my part, but I can’t help it with this one.

However, the Jordan Why Not ZER0.3  is solid in most areas. Cushion being my personal favorite aspect of the shoe. I could even deal with the traction a bit, but the shoe being too tight or too loose is the part where they end up losing me.

If you’re ball’n like that and wish to have the latest and greatest in technology then this is pretty much where it’s at. However, if you just want a good shoe at an affordable price then you can literally go with anything else.

What changed on the adidas Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20? The new adidas Ultraboost PB (Personal Best) recently launched on adidas.com. The price point of $180, which is the same price as the Ultraboost 20.

And thanks to the good people at adidas, we have the Ultraboost PB in hand for a comparison with the Ultraboost 20 and our first impressions.

Note: We have a similar Ultraboost 20 vs Ultraboost 19 comparison here.

Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20: What’s the same?

• TPU heel clip
• Continental rubber outsole
• Torsion bar
• Midsole
• Insole
• Weight (almost)

The Boost midsole including the plastic torsion bar, TPU heel clip, and Continental rubber outsole are exactly the same. The insole is also exactly the same.

You’ll get the same step in comfort as the Ultraboost 20. And since the midsole/outsole setup is the same, the midsole drop matches at 10mm. The stack height is 22 mm in the heel and 12mm in forefoot, an exact match to the Yeezy 350 

And interestingly, despite what looks to be a much sleeker upper, the overall weight is almost the same. In a size 9, the Ultraboost PB weighs 10.8 ounces and the Ultraboost 20 weighs 10.9 ounces. The upper materials on the Ultraboost PB appear thinner and lighter but don’t make much of a practical difference when it comes to weight.

Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20: What’s the difference?

• Upper design, materials, and fit
• Laces

The Ultraboost PB is supposed to be a “faster” iteration of the Ultraboost 20. Would I say it’s faster? No. It’s just different. Whether you prefer the normal Ultraboost 20 or the Ultraboost PB comes down to what you prefer for the materials and fit of your running shoe.

The Ultraboost PB brings an all new upper to the air jordan line. Early Ultraboosts were engineered mesh and recent years have transitioned to Primeknit. The Ultraboost PB ditches Primeknit entirely in favor of Celermesh. It’s a super thin, light, plastic-y mesh. It’s breathability is amazing. Celermesh is adidas’ thinnest mesh and is clearly made for warm climates. The inside of the Celermesh has been layered with a criss crossed felt pattern that gives the mesh structure. While the support material does allow the Celermesh to retain its shape, it also prevents it from stretching. The Ultraboost 20’s upper has a lot more flex to fit various foot types while the Ultraboost PB’s upper is stronger and stiffer. Though the Ultraboost PB still fits true to size, the Celermesh makes it fit more narrow through the midfoot than the Ultraboost 20. Wide footers will need to try on the Ultraboost PB to be sure they enjoy the fit.

At the heel of the shoe, the felt material covers the entire inside of the shoe and even includes two nice-sized achilles pillows. This makes for a fairly comfortable heel, that, while not as comfortable as the plush heel of the Ultraboost 20, is very nice considering the minimal materials used.

The laces, which are slightly thinner and stiffer than the Ultraboost 20 laces, are strung through 5 traditional lace holes. The lace holes are fused to the Ultraboost PB’s upper versus the usual TPU lace closure of previous Ultraboost models.

The tongue is a thin neoprene-type material that is sewn to the outer edges of the fuse lace holes. It’s a comfortable tongue, featuring some holes for breathability, and some padding at the top middle where the adidas logo is found. While the tongue is a departure from the integrated socklike tongues of the Ultraboost 19 and 20, it doesn’t have any functional issues. I felt it was comfortable despite it’s non traditional construction.

Overall

The overall adidas Ultraboost PB vs Ultraboost 20 comparison results are the shoes feature the same midsole/outsole but with a completely different upper design and materials. The Ultraboost PB’s upper is stiffer, stronger, more breathable, and fits narrower. It’s a change that some will love and some will hate. If you’re considering the Ultraboost PB, go try it on to make sure you like the materials and fit of the upper.

For my part, I think the Ultraboost PB is a nice change up. After running multiple miles in the Ultraboost PB, I find I prefer the comfort and flexibility of the Ultraboost 20 upper for most regular runs while I use the Ultraboost PB for faster days or warmer runs where I need the extra airflow.

Even after heading in a new direction, the Nike PG 4 doesn’t disappoint too badly. Click through for our full Nike PG 4 Performance Review.

Similar to the moon landing inspired pattern from the PG 3, this Full-Length Air inspired pattern performed better than I had anticipated.

Every court I took the PG 4 to just proved how good the traction was night after night. Even on the worst, and dirtiest, of courts the pattern accumulated the debris from the floor, but it did not let it affect the grip in a way that made me want to change shoes. There would be times when I would be surprised to see just how much dust was collecting and falling off of these things without me noticing while playing. Best of all, the pattern is done in a way that you receive consistent traction from every spot on the sole. The grip I received at the midfoot was the same at the heel. Which was the same at the toe and both medial and lateral sides. Just consistent coverage without worry.

Traction was reliable and consistent. Two things you need when it’s the foundation of your basketball shoe.

Nike PG 4 Cushion
The PG line had been using my personal favorite cushion (Zoom Air) and then they decided to switch things up for the PG 4. Initially, I didn’t want the change. I love Zoom Air and I was wishing they had just used the Zoom strobel featured in the KD 12. But the Air strobel used here proved to be just as nice — maybe even better than nice for some people.

Zoom Air has a bounce to it. You compress the unit and when you begin to lift your foot you can feel the air bag bounce back into shape in a quick and snappy fashion. Air is more of a pillow. You land onto [then into] the bag while it absorbs impact along the way. It won’t bounce back in a way that you can feel, but it maintains its shape well, so by the time your foot strikes again you have another soft and absorbent landing for the duration of the cushioning’s lifecycle.

Some players, like myself, prefer the quicker snappy feeling Zoom provides. However, there are a lot of players that love this pillowy feel under foot. It will make you feel like you’re sinking into the midsole a bit, but luckily the Air unit is thin enough to not have an effect on mobility and speed.

The midsole is thicker than I’d like, but its also wide and stable. Often times when you have plush cushion you lose stability, but that doesn’t happen with the PG 4. I do think they could have achieved the same cushioned feel with a slightly thinner midsole, but this setup wasn’t a major deal breaker.

Personally, I still prefer Zoom Air. But, there are going to be a lot of players that will fall in love with Air all over again.

Nike PG 4 Materials
Materials are pretty standard for today’s modern textile/knit builds. The main difference is that they used a shroud with a zip-up enclosure. This aspect reminds me of the good ‘ol 90’s. A time when zippers were cool and ventilation was an afterthought. Luckily [for us] we now live in the 2020’s (crazy to think about) so ventilation wasn’t an afterthought this time around.

The medial half of the zip enclosure is an open knit. This area doesn’t have the torque and pressure from game play applied to it throughout your time on-court so having it remain breathable is a welcomed change. Whereas the lateral section is more of a traditional shroud with a stronger layer in place to hold you on during your cuts and lateral moves.

Nike PG 4 Fit
The shoe fits a bit awkwardly. They run short length wise so I ended up going up 1/2 size. Once broken in the shoe fit perfectly, but left me wishing there was a bit more lateral support.

The lacing system under the shroud really helped save the overall fit from being too sloppy. I would have loved to have seen the foot rest within the midsole a bit more with a setup like this. There were times when I’d be moving around and would feel my foot move over the footbed a bit. The shoe held itself together well enough, but it could have been better. Especially when being compared directly to previous PG iterations where forefoot lockdown/containment seemed to have been a priority.

Nike PG 4 Support
Because of these small containment issues I felt the support suffered a bit. The platform was wide and stable once planted, but getting yourself into planting position wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. Torsional support wasn’t awful, but also could have been a bit better. Perhaps the full-length Air hindered the use of a torsion bar? I’m not exactly sure. All I know if the overall tooling does feel a bit soft all-around.

If you’re needing a much stiffer setup under-foot then this isn’t going to be the shoe for you. If you’re not in need of a stiff or rigid setup, then the PG 4 may end up being perfect for you.

Nike PG 4 Overall
Overall, the Nike PG 4 was very solid, but not as well rounded as I would have liked. They remind me of the Curry 7 — only opposite. The Curry 7 focused on stability and left cushion behind — even with the combination of HOVR and Micro G. Whereas the PG 4 took a new stance on cushion, and left a bit of the support/containment from the previous models behind.

I feel most people will enjoy the shoe. The $110 price point makes most people feel they’re getting a great shoe full of tech. Which, isn’t completely inaccurate. The tech specs are much more appealing than they are in the similarly priced Nike Zoom Freak 1. However, the comfort and traction aren’t enough for me to make them a go-to in the gym bag. That honor currently goes to the Nike Kobe 5 Protro — #MambaForever

Among the skyscrapers of downtown Los Angeles, I found myself at the Trinity Auditorium. An inconspicuous building that was previously a church. This was the scene as Nike Basketball invited media to help LA Clippers all-star Paul George launch his new signature shoe, the Nike PG 4.

When PG13 first debuted the sneakers (playing in a game versus the Knicks on Jan. 5) there was plenty of chatter online over its design. Perhaps it was an over reaction? More on that later.

Inside the cathedral with stain-glassed windows was a full court. Four colorways of the sneaker were on display and we played in the purple Gatorade “Gx” version.

First impressions: The toe box was definitely tight. I saw a few people asking to go up ½ a size. For clarity, I wear size 12 so my options were limited. After running around for 20 minutes my feet adjusted and felt fine. The traction was solid as I didn’t experience any slipping.

The biggest question was the lacing and zippering system, which initially reminded me of Gary Payton’s Air Zoom Flight ’98 model. I laced them up traditionally and left the zipper down. The shroud was more a fashion statement, giving players the option. Later I zipped them up fully, which made the upper feel snug. Using breathable materials was smart, keeping it lightweight and transparent.

Whether you like to cruise with the top down or play faster zipped up, the shoe performed well and exceeded expectations.

After testing the PG 4, I spoke with the man himself, Paul George. Discussing the new Air Strobel cushioning, he shared his thoughts from playing in them.

“You know what? It was new to me with its innovation. I knew it was going away from what we were doing with the air bag. I’m all about innovation and what’s best going forward with my line. So far so good, when I felt it, I was all for it, if it made for a better performance of the shoe,” George said.

We talked about the different types of sneakers he wore before his signature line was unveiled, from his high school days all the way to the pros.

“In high school I wore LeBron’s, Kobe’s. In college I wore Kobe’s and Jordan’s. Earlier in the league I wore everything from Jordan’s to Kobe’s to LeBron’s to Foamposites, I wore it all,” he said.

Coming back home, playing for the LA Clippers, and being from Palmdale, I asked PG what it was like giving back to his community and refurbishing the courts he grew up on.

“That’s everything, that’s the reason I came back home and why I do what I do. To be able to inspire the next generation to ultimately help the community that raised me and got me to where I am. It’s a surreal thing to play and represent my home,” he said.

The city of Los Angeles is bubbling over its two NBA teams doing well. I wanted to know if he felt a rivalry starting to build between his cross hall neighbors.

“I think its more so for the fans. The Clippers haven’t won anything, and the Lakers have all the hardware and all the accolades. We’re trying to get there, to be great. When you look at it from a competitive sports aspect there’s no rivalry there. Ultimately, we want to beat them, they want to beat us. What team doesn’t? From the fan aspect there’s a rivalry, we hear it all the time. It’s fun, it plays into the story.”

Collaborations are always a hot topic with kicks, so I inquired if there were other projects lined up for the season.

“I’m going to keep that on the lowkey. But honestly, we have some amazing colorways, dope colorways coming up. This is the pop to start it off, but everyone knows my line, there’s going to be stuff sprinkled in there to keep it interesting. I’m excited for people to see what else we have in store,” said George.

His first PE color on court was red, white and blue to match the Clippers home uniform. It also had me thinking about the Summer Olympics. I asked PG if he’s put any thought into playing again for Team USA?

“Yeah, that’s always on my to-do list. Hopefully I can finish this year out healthy, hopefully we succeed going far, and win it all. I’ll address that when the time comes but definitely my goal is to play and represent my country this summer,” he concluded.

Also, on hand for the event was Nike Basketball designer Tony Hardman. We spoke about PG’s line and what makes this new version different in multiple ways.

How long does it take from ideation to roll out of PG’s signature shoe?

“Usually it takes about two years. The 5 is coming out in a year, so we’ve been working on that for a year already, and now starting on the 6,” Hardman said.

Social media went crazy when George debuted the new kicks, especially over the zippered shroud. Was that collaborative or did he want that included?

“That was more of something we pitched to him, we went through some variations and thought about what would stand out. We thought more additive, what are we going to add to it to make it stand out. We thought about the landscape of all the shoes we already have and the landscape in footwear. Let’s go the other way, make his shoe stand out, make it super clean, aerodynamic. He wanted to be faster, so it felt like the right thing to have no distractions. It didn’t start as a zipper, more of a velcro closure but it wasn’t quite working the way we wanted to, so we went with the zip up. It worked, functioned great, and easier to get on,” he said.

Let’s talk about the cushioning, the Air Strobel. Is this a first gen model being used?

“Yes, he’s going to lead this innovation. Something that the team has been working on for a while. When we first tried it in a factory in Asia, the minute I put it on I said ‘We have to get this for Paul’ and pushed for it. He’s going to launch it and then probably see it in feature products of Nike as well,” shared Hardman.

Can you tease any future colorways this season? Anything special in line for the All-Star Game or other collabs?

“He will have a special collab for the ASG, I can’t really say what it is. There’s going to be some unexpected things we do with the shoe. There’s no plans for a 4.5 or anything like that, but I think that we refresh it, and that will bring the kind of energy to it,” he said.

The Nike PG4 launches in the purple Gatorade “Gx” colorway via SNKRS on Jan. 17 for $120.

The black / white colorway releases in store and on Nike.com Jan. 24 for $110.

The turquoise Gatorade “Gx” model will be available to gamers who unlock it playing NBA2K later this season. A plaid color that was on display currently does not have a release date.

Photos by Michael Silver for solehello.com. Additional images provided by NIKE.